GREEN SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTI BACTERIAL STUDIES OF CU(II) COMPLEX WITH LIGAND CONTAINING AZOMETHINE FUNCTIONAL GROUP

ABSTRACT Azomethine-containing ligands and their metal complexes have gained significant interest in medicinal chemistry due to their enhanced biological activities. Copper(II) complexes, in particular, are known for their potential antimicrobial properties. This research aimed to synthesize and characterize Cu(II) complex with an azomethine-containing ligand and evaluate its antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The ligand was synthesized and subsequently complexed with Cu(II) ions. The resulting products were characterized through physicochemical analyses, solubility tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA), UV-Visible spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the disc diffusion method to determine the zones of inhibition. The Cu(II) complex exhibited a greenish powdered nature with a melting point of 156.6 °C, a pH of 3.11 and a conductivity of 206.33 μS/cm. The complex was soluble in methanol, ethanol, acetone, DMSO, and diethyl ether. The Cu(II) complex showed enhanced antibacterial activity with zones of inhibition of 15.66 mm for S. aureus and 13.33 mm for E. coli respectively. The MIC for the Cu(II) complex was 1.563 mg/mL (S. aureus) and 3.125 mg/mL (E. coli). The MBC values were 3.125 mg/mL (S. aureus) and 6.250 mg/mL (E. coli) for the complex. The synthesized Cu(II) complex demonstrated superior physicochemical stability and significantly enhanced antibacterial activity compared to the free ligand. These findings suggest that Cu(II) azomethine complexes could serve as promising candidates for developing new antimicrobial agents, addressing the increasing challenge of antibiotic resistance.